The Hawaiian gazette., 1887-07-26

weight Of saddle, OF the length of a
sabre. To her these things are udicu
lous. To him they are everything. OF
at lesSt s great desl. She delights in
literature, she pstronizes in hsp haz-
ard fashion the arts; she encourages
orthodox science and she sspires to S
mild form Of intrigue. This latter
quality has involved her number OF
times with Bismarck. who. strong
enough now TO do sway with intrigue,
hates sn intriguer and especially If
the intlguer be 8 woman. The En-
pe1or has hsd the good sense never
10 lend sny countensnce 70 his wife'S
projects, and IS he does IN everything
else 70 support his Chancellor. right
or wrong.
1 said lust now that the Empress
takes grest interest IN literature and
art Ii would be more correct 70 ssy
that she gives herself infinite trouble
70 make people believe she Is lesrned.
literary Snd versed IN everything that
passes n the world Of science and art-
At her receptions, which are only S
little gsyer than funerals. you meet
poets musicians artists, travellers,
scientists and men Of letters. With
the poets she discusses the merits OF
the latest discovery II the resins OF
the muses.. She talks learne1ly with
the musicians about the music Of the
future. q which. by the way. she Is
nor an arient adnIrer To the artist
she nay kindly insinuste that one
school has no merit and another very
much indeed The traveller VIII have
mapped out 70 him. perhaps, his next
Trip into the wildS OF Africa She vii
discuss with the scientists the limits
Of human research and analyLe the
characters II the latest French novel
for the benefit Of the man OF letters.
To seem 70 dissent from the views ex
pressed by her. 70 contradict an En-
press. Is neither polite nor safe Con
Seluentlv 81 these little receptions
she delivers s sort Of mOnologue.
Everybody listens 70 this Semiramis
Of the Brandenburg desert. repreSSeS
with difficulty s yawn. and departs.
intensely bored. As & matter Of tacI.
however excellent al heart she may
appear az times or however mexhaus-
tlble her kindness IN emergencies.
she tires everybody from the Emperor
down 70 her domestics by reason OF
her affection. her desire 70 appear
what she i not. her lack Of sense and
discretion
She Is particularly fond Of French
literature and every new novel. after
Il has first been examined by 3 censor
for obvious reasons. Is read aloud 70
her either by her secretary or one Of
her ladies II waiting. l suppose her
French leanings were the result Of
esgly training. Whatever the cause.
Il has, II not produced. certainly
helped 70 parpetuate. 8 feeling OF
tension between her and her daugh-
Ter In-lsw. The latter Is intensely
English. and while bestowing but
little attention upon what Is German.
affects 8 certain hatred Of everything
that : French You see. therefore.
the curious spectacle here Of two
literary camps as il were. the one led
by the Empress and the other mar
slalled by her successor. each hating
the other with the cordial hatred Of
Second-raIe i5sSrztj. who swarm about
their protectors as lies do around
pot OF mOlasSes-
One must not infer that she lacks
altogether decision OF character and
courage 4 year OF TWO ago her life
was despaired Of The physicians
told her that her only chance lay IN
an extremely dangerous and painful
operation. which might result fatally.
Without q moments hesitation she
said: Perform It; only give ne
tTe2ty-fo1rs time The twenty-t0ur
hours she devoted 70 settling her af
fairs and 70 the sacrament With al
most St0ical Indifference she submit
ted % the surgeons knife The opera
ton vas successful. and she rec0v-
ered- Her courage left q deep in
preston upon everybody. Still even
here she displayed an almost morbid
hsnkari1g after theatrical effect. not
II keeping altogether With the coca
sion
Butt must finish this letter and
can refer only 70 two examples Of the
Empress weakness OF character
which q times assumes 3 childish
stubb0raness aknOst- She has about
her { modern Ahagail IN the person OF
her first feaEs L c5EzsTs. q Nile Neun
dorE- Rather friend than fsmas dz
st.1a-.rs. this person unites the sarYil
ity Of the servant with the yelled and
affeesi0nste iUsole1ce Of the conf
dante VINO knows that they cannot
send her away because they are afraid
OF her She L cordially hated By
everybody. OF course. and YET al the
ladies desiring 70 stand well with their
sovereign cover Nile NeundorE with
aattery and adulation. which the
latter returns By permitting them 10
dance attendance upon her. This
modern abigail writes the letters Of
her mistress. transmits her messages,
II L